Process and device for improving cigarettes



Dec. 9,1930. v LORENTZ 1,784,296

PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR IMPROVING CIGARETTES Filed Sept. 21, 1927 V/////////// g ll/l/l/l/l/ mvem'on-l Patented Dec. 9, .1930

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALENTIN LORENT Z, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED CIGARETTE MA- CHINE COMPANY AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR Application filed September 21, 1927, Serial No.

The invention relates to a process for improving or refining cigarettes. It has been found that the cigarettes manufactured 1n the usual way are liable to contain dust in more or less considerable quantities which first is prejudicial to the taste and the hygienic quality of the cigarettes. According to the present invention this inconvenience is obviated by that the dust is removed from the cigarettes preferably while these are manufactured or packed. The removal of dust may be accomplished either by means of a separate dust removing appliance or by that the conveying means transporting the cigarettes during manufacture or packing one by one or in smaller or larger quantit es are provided with suitable means, for instance of such a kind that they remove the, dust particles by blowing an air current through the cigarettes moving continuously or by steps. I

The drawing represents several arrangements showing by way of example how the idea, upon which the invention is founded, may be realized. Figs. 1 and 2 are a side elevation and a cross section respectively of a device whlch removes the dust from each of the cigarettes .while they are conveyed over a fluted drum, whereas Figs. 3 and 4 are partial views of similar devices which repeatedly remove the dust from the cigarettes conveyed one by one.

Fig. 5 is a cross section through the ring of the fluted drum according to Fig. 3 and 4 Fig. 6 is the view of a device which removes the dust from the cigarettes while they are conveyed over a simple belt.

I Fig. .7 shows a device in which several cigarettes contained in the flutes of a conveying drum are freed from dust at the same time and Fig. 8 is a similar device in which the cigarettes are disposed in trays in lieu of flutes, whereas Fig. 9 represents a device intended for removing the dust from the cigarettes while they are conveyed towards a packing appliance.

- 10 shows a receptacle adapted to re- IMPROVING CIGARETTES 220,978, and in Germany September 23, 1928.

ceive the cigarettes, when the removal of the dust isaccomplished independent of special conveying means.

In Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is a fluted drum or conveying drum of known design which is driven continuously or by steps by means of a shaft 2. Above the fluted drum 1 there is arranged a hopper 3 filled with any convenient number of cigarettes which drop into the flutes while the fluted drum 1 is revolving and which, after a certain angle of revolution, get upon a conveying belt 5 which brings them to further treatment. At any point whatever of the ring of the fluted drum 1 filled with cigarettes there are arranged a'xial pipes 6 or the like through which compressed or suction air is fed so that it passes through the cigarettes 4 conveyed one by one between the free ends of the pipes 6 and removes from the cigarettes the dust contained. Lest the cigarettes should be blown from the drum flutes or the tobacco from the cigarette husks while the dust is removed, the pipes 6'are provided with gauze or sieves 7 at their free ends disposed at the sides of the fluted drums so that the dust only may pass freel Figs. 3

The instances of execution shown in and 4 chiefly distinguish themselves from the dust-removal devices according to Figs. 1 and 2 by that compressed or suction air is passed through the cigarettes more than once in such a Way that in Fig. 3 several pipes 6 are distributed over the circumference of the drum whereas in Fig. 4 the pipe 8 through which the air is-passed extends over several flutes of the drum 1 so that in both cases the cigarettes are freed from dust, continuously or by steps, over a longer travel than in the former cases. With the arrangements according to Figs. 3 and 5 the cigarettes to be freed from dust are retained, except by the gauze 7, by springs -9 engaging with notches 10 of the teeth 11 and restingon the cigarettes 4. When these springs 9 are provided the wire gauze 7 may eventually be dispensed with.

The devices described above may be separate dust-removal appliances working independently of the cigarette machine proper so that the cigarettes are fed to them for the dust removal only. As a rule however it is instances already described by that the cigpreferable to dispose the dust-removal devices directly behind the cigarette machine proper, for instance in such a way that the cigarettes drop from the cigarette distributor or the cigarette machine directly into the hopper 3 in order to be received by the fluted drum 1.

Fig. 6 shows an arrangement in which the dust is removed from the cigarettes 4 while they are conveyed over an ordinary conveyer belt 12, their cross section being rectangular in this case, the width of the pipes is pro-' portioned in such a way that the dust is removed at the same time from several cigarettes conveyed one by one. As in the instances of execution described above the ends of the pipes 13 are covered with gauze 7 in order to prevent the cigarettes from being blown out.

The instances of execution shown in Figs. 7 to 9 distinguish themselves from the other arettes to be freed from dust are not con- .veyed one by one but in small clusters. In the appliance represented by Fig. 7 the cigaance with Figs. 1 to 3, in pipes 6" with gauzb covers 7 the diameter of which is larger than that of the flutes 16 so that'when the latter move along the ends of the tubes 6 all cigarettes 4 contained in the flutes are freed from dust at the same time. The appliance may be an independent dust removing device or form a part of the cigarette machine. With the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 the fluted drum for conveying the cigarettes 4' is replaced by trays 1,7 fastened to a horizontal conveyer belt 18 The dust removing pipes of this arrangement'may be disposed as 1n Figs. 7 or corresponding to one-of the foregoing instances of execution.

Fig. 9 shows an arrangement by which the cigarettes 4 are freed from dust while they are treated in a packing appliance. To this end there are disposed at the side of the conveying chain 20, running over a sprocket wheel 19 and intended for bringing the ;cigarettes 4 to the boxes or the like, certain means for feeding compressed or suction air, forinstance rectangular pipes 13 which are so proportioned that all cigarettes pertaining to one packet are freed from dust at 'the same time. A i

In order to perform the prodess, to which ,this invention relates, besides the contrivances already shown numerous other arrangements are possible by which dust is removed air current, conveying means adapted to mepacking device, or in a separate dust removing device.

The way of feeding and carrying of the compressed or suction air is optional; for instance for repeated dust removal there may be applied alternately compressed and suction air or the direction in which air is blown in or sucked may alsg alternate etc.

An instance of execution in which the improvement and the removal of dust is accomplished by a separate contrivance independent of special conveying appliances is shown by way of example in Fig. 10. Here the cigarettes 4 are contained in a special receptacle 22 both sides of which 23 and 24 are covered with a material permeable to air, e. g. sieves. The receptacle filled with cigarettes is inserted by hand in a com ressed-air piping which may pass compresse air either from one side only or alternately from both sides. Of course it is possible to use compressed or suction air as the case may be.

I claim- 1. A device for improving cigarettes comprising-in combination, pipmgs having open ends for feeding an air current, pipings hav ing open ends arranged oppositely to the open ends of the first mentioned open ends and adapted to receive and discharge the said air current and conveying means adapted to 05 mechanically pass the cigarettes between the open ends of said ip'ings so that the air current passes throug them in a lengthwise direction.

2.- Adevice for improving cigarettes com- 1 prising in combination, pipings having open ends for feeding an air current, pipings having open ends arranged oppositely to the open ends of the first mentioned open ends and adapted to receive and discharge the said 106 air current, conveying means adapted to mechanically pass the cigarettes between the open ends of said pipings so that the air current passes through them in a len hwise direction, and means arranged on said conno veying means and preventing the cigarettes from lengthwise movement while they are between the said pipings.

2 3. A device for improving cigarettes comprising in combination, pipings having open ends for feeding an air current, pipings having open ends arranged opposltely to the open ends of the first mentioned open ends and adapted to receive and discharge the said chanically pass the cigarettes between the open ends of said pipings so that the air current passes through them in a lengthwise direction, and means arranged between the open ends of said pipings and said conveying means adapted to being passed onl by the air current and the dust contain therein and preventing-the cigarettes from being moved in a len hwise direction. 4. A device or improving cigarettes, comv and discharging means so that the air current prising in combination, means for feeding an air current; means for receiving and discharging sa1d air current and being arranged opposite to said first means and conveying means adapted to mechanically pass the cigarettes between said first mentioned feeding passes through them in a lengthwise direction.

5. A process for improving cigarettes consisting in passing an air current alternately in both directions in a lengthwise direction through them.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

VALENTIN LORENTZ. 

